Health, Hedonism & All the Delicious Things In Between

I’m a food writer, chef, competitive French fry eater, and owner of one too many frilly aprons. This is where I share my recipes for healthy hedonism, gluten-free finds, and tips on living a more balanced life beyond food.

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You can serve these over rice as a main course, or with toothpicks as a festive finger food.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken thigh meat

2 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup cilantro, minced

3/4 cups fresh white breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 tablespoon ketchup

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

For the sauce:

1 small yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (or tomato puree)

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, divided

1 cup shredded jack or mild cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Form into small 1 1/2 inch balls (you should get 2o or so), and arrange them about 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.Bake in the oven until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Set aside.

In the meantime, make the sauce. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a medium-low flame. Saute the onions, garlic, and jalapenos, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and chili powder. Stir to combine, and simmer uncovered over medium heat until the sauce has thickened, and the flavors have come together, about 10 minutes.

Roughly chop half of the cilantro. Gently add the meatballs and the cilantro to the pot and fold into the sauce. Transfer the meatballs to a casserole dish (or bake directly in the Dutch oven/pot you were using). Sprinkle with the cheese and bake in the oven for 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve immediately.